This article covers the annual tradition of students and staff at the University of Massachusetts Amherst planting a tree in representation of the incoming freshman class. On November 4th, 2024, a tree was planted between Goodell Hall and the Old Chapel for the class of 2028. The tree was chosen for its vibrant, rounded leaves that change color with the seasons. The planting event brought students, faculty, and staff to come together along with some freshmen actively participating. Chancellor Javier Reyes also made an appearance, emphasizing how the tree symbolizes a new class at UMass. The tree planting is part of a broader campus tradition where each incoming class gets a tree and it’s seen as a way to keep track of time. Freshman Lena Sakharuk expressed excitement about watching the tree grow during her time at UMass. The planting serves as a “living monument” that will be around for decades, allowing future generations of students to see it grow.

This article written by Bella Ishanyan and Kavya Sarathy explains that the University of Massachusetts Amherst has live monkeys there as apart of a research lab. Led by Dr. Agnès Lacreuse, the Lacreuse Lab studies aging and diseases. In this lab, scientists use marmosets, a type of small monkey, to learn about how the brain changes as animals and humans age. The goal is to better understand diseases and the role that hormones play in aging and illnesses. The researchers use the monkeys to test different treatments and study how aging affects memory and behavior. However, not everyone agrees with using monkeys for research. The PETA, an animal rights group, is strongly protesting the lab’s work. They argue that using animals in experiments is cruel and that the monkeys should not be kept in a lab for research. PETA claims that the experiments cause the animals unnecessary suffering. Their goal is to end all animal testing at UMass. They believe there are other ways to study diseases and aging without using animals. The article goes on to talk about the conflict between the scientific value of the research and the concerns raised by animal rights groups. On one hand, the research at UMass has the potential to help find better treatments for diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer, which could improve human health. On the other hand, people like PETA believe that the harm caused to animals is too great to justify these studies. The article highlights an ongoing debate about animal testing and how it’s difficult to balance scientific purposes with concern for animal rights.